


Making Their Own Rules

by canthelpmyselves



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Background Relationships, Comfort/Angst, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Grief/Mourning, Happy Ending, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Character(s), Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2020-10-17 09:47:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20619002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canthelpmyselves/pseuds/canthelpmyselves
Summary: Roy has never been lucky. His soulmate belonged to someone else.Ed had never been lucky, either. His soulmate was dead.Sometimes, when one door closes, you find a secret passage that leads somewhere you never expected.





	1. Roy and Maes and Ed and Greed

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU where you can only seen colors once you've touched your soulmate, skin-to-skin. For most people, finding your soulmate is a wonderful thing but not everyone gets a happy bond. For Roy and Ed, they may have their colors, but they're alone.

Soulmates. Roy Mustang hated the concept. He hated the idea that there was one person who was supposed to be your perfect match. One person who was supposed to support and love you above all others. Books, plays and radio programs were full of idealistic stories of a perfect love, some grand romance, that would make your life worth living. There had been a time when Roy loved the idea of a soulmate. He had imagined hundreds of scenarios for their first meeting. There had been a time when he dreamed (in shades of gray) of what their life would be like once they met and gained the ability to see colors. 

Then a simple hand on his shoulder had turned his world upside down. 

His soulmate had clapped him on the back and the tip of one finger brushed the skin of his neck. It should have been a perfect moment. It should have been a joyous occasion as his vision exploded with vibrant colors he could never have imagined. But Roy Mustang had never been particularly lucky. He discovered the identity of his soulmate as Maes touched his shoulder while introducing Roy to the woman who was Maes' soulmate, the woman who had given him colors.

The person who was Roy's perfect match already had a perfect match of his own and there was nothing Roy could do about it. Maes had his colors long before they touched, skin-to-skin. Maybe if they had touched first… 

But there was no benefit to finishing that thought. Gracia and Maes were soulmates. Roy was a mismatch and would have to settle for what he had, a close friend he could trust with his life and the ability to see the way Maes' green eyes lit up when he talked about his family.

He supposed he was lucky enough that Maes and Gracia both had been too busy staring deep into each other's eyes so that neither noticed the shock and pain in his own before he was able to hide it. He couldn't imagine trying to explain that he had just seen his own colors for the first time while watching them express their love for one another.

Losing Maes to Gracia was hard. Losing him altogether was devastating. For a while, Roy had felt like he was going insane. Nothing mattered but finding Maes' killer and destroying them. He didn't even care how obsessed he looked. Even knowing it would destroy what little bit of soul he had left, he wanted vengeance. He almost got it, too. If not for Scar's blunt words, he would have become just like the monster he hated. If not for Fullmetal demanding he hold true to his honor, the younger man's hand in the line of fire, he would have killed off what good was left in him. If not for Riza threatening to follow him out of this life, he would have given up everything.

In the end, he held back. He couldn't do it. Maes would never have wanted Roy to go down that path, so he didn't. He held himself in check and watched, emotionless, as Envy committed suicide. It wasn't justice. It wasn't vengeance. It wasn't even a relief.

Again and again, life had kicked Roy in the ass and had a good laugh about it.

* * *

As soon as Al and Winry fell asleep Ed slipped out of the room and wandered aimlessly through the halls. He knew, logically, that he was still in a state of shock. To be honest, there was a part of him that hoped he never recovered, that he could stay in this numb, hazy state forever. Vaguely he noted that the walls of the corridors were a pale blue while the floor tiles were a white and green checkerboard. The doors to the rooms were a dark brown color. A voice in his head, which sounded a lot like Al, chastised him, telling him he should appreciate that he could see all the different colors the world had to offer. 

It didn't matter. Not to him. What good were colors when he had no one to share them with? What good was it that he could tell blue from green without his soulmate?

“Fullmetal?”

Ed paused and looked around, spotting an open door. He had walked past it without realizing it was open and occupied. He turned and walked over to it, looking inside. He felt a flicker of guilt when he saw Mustang sitting on a bed, a book in his lap. He forgot his commanding officer had been injured, as well. Ed knew Marcoh had offered to heal him, but honestly, he hadn't spared much thought for Mustang's situation. His mind had been focused on other things.

“Need something?” Ed asked hollowly. Mustang was staring at him with concern. Ed wished he wouldn't.

“I'm surprised to see you,” Mustang replied slowly, obviously trying to get a read on Ed. “I was certain you wouldn't leave your brother's side.”

Ed shrugged one shoulder. “He's asleep. Winry's with him. I got bored.”

Mustang was still staring, only now it was that slightly suspicious look the bastard got whenever he thought Ed was leaving out important details in his reports. He snorted in his head. As if Al would ever let him do that. He sighed as he moved a few steps closer. “I, um, I'm sorry I haven't been by. Glad you're healed, though.” 

After a couple of seconds Mustang motioned toward a chair. “Have a seat. I'll send Havoc for coffee.”

Ed shot him a stern look. “You can't call him here just to make him bring us coffee!”

Mustang smirked as he picked up a pencil and threw it past Ed's shoulder. He turned his head and watched as it struck a sleeping Havoc's shoulder. He hadn't even noticed the wheelchair or the man on it when he entered. He must be more tired than he thought.

“Wha…?” Havoc mumbled, sitting up straight and rubbing his eyes.

“Coffee,” Roy said with a smirk. “And maybe some donuts, please.” Havoc yawned widely and nodded sleepily before wheeling himself out of the room. Roy then turned his attention back to Ed. “He's healing but he still gets tired, hence the chair. Hand me that journal and have a seat, Fullmetal.”

Ed looked at the table and picked up the two journals sitting on top. “The yellow or the blue one?” he asked tiredly. It took a moment for his words to register in his head. When they did he jerked his head to see if the colonel had noticed his slip up. His stomach dropped as he watched the other man's eyes widen in surprise. Ed gave serious consideration to running. He hadn't told anyone he had found his soulmate. His face must have shown how he felt because after a brief moment the colonel's expression became calm and thankfully blank.

“The blue one,” he said, nodding to the correct one.

Ed twitched slightly, immediately understanding that he was being given equivalent exchange; a secret of Mustang's equal to his own. He slowly nodded and set the yellow one down before walking over to the bed. Roy took the journal and set it on his lap.

“So,” the colonel said in a carefully neutral tone, “tell me how Alphonse is doing.”

For the next hour Ed told Mustang how Alphonse was doing, physically, and how excited he was to have discovered Winry was his soulmate. Neither of them mentioned their own colors.


	2. Secrets

Ed hunched his shoulders against the cool night air as he walked along the lonely dirt road. It was his regular routine now. He always waited until everyone was asleep before quietly slipping out. The last thing he wanted to do was wake someone up and answer questions about why he couldn't sleep. So, he would sneak out about twice a week and walk. 

And think. 

And remember.

And rage.

Tonight he was too emotionally wrung out to do any of those things. He wished he knew how to pull himself out of this funk. Al and Winry were starting to get suspicious about his behavior. Granny already was. He could see it in the way she watched him. He thanked his lucky stars she hadn't been concerned enough to confront him, yet. He couldn't imagine talking to her about this. He couldn't imagine talking to anyone about it. 

A name whispered through his head and Ed almost tripped over his feet. He instinctively scoffed but the whisper repeated. He thought about those last couple of nights in the hospital. After that initial visit he had returned each night after visitation hours were over. They never discussed anything sensitive or important. Mostly they chatted about which doctor was stricter, which nurse Havoc was pining over and how likely Hawkeye was to shoot one of the reporters who kept trying to sneak in for an interview.

Ed debated for a couple more minutes before resuming his walk. Instead of wandering aimlessly, he headed into town. The train station was empty, the first train not due in for several hours. The public phone was in a small sheltered alcove. He didn't let himself second guess his actions. He took a deep breath, picked up the receiver, plunked in some coins and dialed. 

* * *

Roy grimaced as he shuffled from the couch where he had fallen asleep to the desk where his phone kept ringing. He picked up the receiver and put it to his ear. “Mustang,” he growled, hoping whoever it was appreciated the fact he couldn't use alchemy over the line.

“How did you use to handle people who tried to explain colors to you?”

Roy was suddenly wide awake. His hand clenched tight around the receiver as he forced his voice to remain level and calm. “Most people don't know that I can see them, so many still do,” he answered. “In fact, only three people know. You, my aunt and Dr. Marcoh. He only knows because he healed my blindness.”

He heard a soft sigh before Ed cleared his throat. “O-only you and Ling know,” he admitted softly. “Um, so… I told you that Al and Winry are soulmates,” he whispered. “Al keeps trying to explain colors to me and I… I know, okay? I know I could tell him I can see them, but then I'd have to explain that I found my soulmate but then he'd want to know who and why we aren't together and I really don't want to talk about that and...”

“Ed, slow down,” he said gently. “Take a deep breath.” He waited until he could hear the young man do so. “You don't owe anyone an explanation. Whatever the situation is, it is no one's business but your own. If you don't want to tell anyone, then don't. If you want to, then do. Only you get to make that choice. I know how close you and Alphonse are. I know how close you both are to Miss Rockbell. I am certain Alphonse simply wants you to be as happy as he is. From what I have seen, finding your soulmate often makes one… sentimental and emotional. He likely just wants to see you settled so he knows you won't be alone while he and Miss Rockbell settle into their own relationship.”

Ed exhaled shakily. “Y-yeah, I guess. It's just… It's not like I wouldn't _want_ to be with my soulmate. I c-can't.” 

Roy grew more worried when he heard a barely muffled sob. Was the young man's soulmate someone dangerous? Were they harmful to Ed in some way? Did they just not want him? That seemed unlikely. For whatever faults he had, Edward Elric was a beautiful, intelligent, passionate young man.

“He's d-dead,” Ed whispered, stunning Roy. “H-he… It was…” Ed gave another choked off sob. “Greed,” he whispered. “Greed was my soulmate.”

Roy closed his eyes and let his head fall back. Ed Elric, Alchemist of the People, the man who stopped a would-be god and his homunculi offspring, had been soulmated to one of those creations.

“I know he wasn't… human,” Ed mumbled wretchedly.

_No, he wasn't_, Roy thought to himself.

“I know he wasn't exactly good.”

_That either_.

“But… but he was _mine_,” Ed whispered, his voice filled with pain. “H-he gave me colors and he fought by my side and he held me when I was hurt and he… he died saving me... us… saving everyone.”

Roy turned and slid down the wall, drawing his knees to his chest. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes tight. “Maes,” he whispered back. “I found out we were soulmates the day he introduced me to Gracia.” He briefly wished he could reach the liquor cabinet from where he was. “Gracia had already given him his colors, so there was no doubt they were soulmates. I never said anything. How could I? They loved one another and they were bonded. When he died...”

Both men were silent for a long moment before Ed sniffled. “Does it ever hurt less?” Ed asked hesitantly.

Roy thought about lying to him, but he couldn't. Not about this. Not about Maes. Not even about Greed. “No.”

Both of them were silent for several minutes.

“I hate this.”

“Me, too,” Roy replied.

* * *

Ed locked the bedroom door and pried up the loose floorboard under the window. Inside the small space was a wooden box, about the size of a book. Lifting it out, he gently pulled the top off and tipped the contents into his hand. Two leather bracelets with silver buckles and a pair of round sunglasses. It was all he had left. 

He still remembered the moment everything changed. He had figured out Greed's ultimate shield and transmuted it from graphene to graphite. The instant the shield cracked and Ed touched bare skin, his world burst into bright, vibrant colors. He had faltered, stepping back as he tried to re-orient himself. His eyes had instinctively met Greed's and he could see the same shock and hope in those violet eyes that he was experiencing. Before they could say or do anything, soldiers had rushed in, and Greed was escaping. 

He still feels the agony he first felt when he learned Greed had died. The ripples of pain in his head and heart had been crippling. He had thought they were being given a second chance when Greed's stone was placed into Ling's body, but it wasn't the same. Touching Greed/Ling was the same as touching anyone else because Ling wasn't his soulmate. Without Greed's true body, they couldn't bond. That didn't stop them from wanting their bond. It didn't stop them from starting to love one another. It didn't stop Ed's heart from breaking all over again, when Greed died a second time. Even now, months later, he still felt hollowed out. 

Ed sighed and slipped the bracelets over his own wrists. It wasn't enough. It would never be enough. It was just... all he had.


	3. Decisions

Roy hung up the phone and rolled over. A few days after the third time Ed had called him late at night, he had a second phone installed in his bedroom. If he was going to spend half the night talking to his young subordinate, he was going to do it in relative comfort. Besides, he had discovered it was much easier to talk about painful subjects when the room was dark and he was wrapped in his softest blanket. 

He had also discovered that talking with someone who truly understood made the pain a bit easier to bear. Talking with Ed didn't erase the heartache, nor did it relieve the heaviness in his heart. What it did do was give Roy an outlet. He didn't feel so alone anymore. There was someone else who knew what it was like to not have their soulmate. To have never been able to bond. Ed knew the loneliness and the emptiness he felt, because Ed felt them, too. Sure there were other people without a soulmate. Other people with deceased soulmates. But no one else in their lives understood what he and Ed had fought for, sacrificed for, what their soulmates had sacrificed for them, only to end up broken and alone.

As cruel as it sounded, he was grateful that there was someone he could talk to. He suspected Ed felt the same since he continued to call. They didn't often talk about Maes or Greed in the beginning, both of them too used to keeping their feelings secret. It took several calls before they began sharing a few details. It saddened him to know that, like him, Ed would never know what it felt like to complete a soulbond. That, also like him, Ed had lost his soulmate twice. Granted, Roy had lost Maes once to another person and then to death while Ed had to suffer through his soulmate dying twice, but a loss was a loss. Either way, a heart was broken two times.

_Maybe we should form a club_, he mused as exhaustion began to pull him under. _I'll mention that the next time we speak._

* * *

Ed took a couple of minutes to steady his nerves before heading downstairs. He could hear Winry and Al joking together before he even got halfway down the steps. He dodged Den sleeping on the rug and stepped into the kitchen. Granny was stirring a pot while Al and Winry chopped vegetables. Ed smiled at how happy all three of them seemed. 

Over the past four months he had made it a habit to call Roy once a week, always late at night and always from the privacy of the station. They caught each other up on what their friends were doing then discussed the current political problems. Sometimes they talked about their soulmates. Sometimes they avoided the topic. With each successive call they became a little more amicable, a little more comfortable with one another. Ed might even call them friends, now.

Two nights ago, Roy had brought up the topic of Ed's military contract. It would run out in just two weeks. He could let it go and turn in his watch or renew it and stay in the military. Roy had spoken like it was a foregone conclusion that Ed would leave. Over the last few weeks Ed had actually given serious consideration as to what he wanted to do. Now he was going to have to explain his decision.

Ed cleared his throat and smiled as everyone turned toward him. Winry and Al grinned. Granny slowly pulled her pipe from her mouth and used it to point to the bag by his feet.

“You're leaving,” she said calmly.

Ed nodded, hating the way the smiles fell from Al and Winry's faces. “My reassessment is coming up. I have to head back to Central.”

“Reassessment?” Al questioned. “But I thought you were leaving the military.”

Winry's eyes turned stormy. “You're staying?” she hissed. “Why on earth would you stay?”

“Because I'm needed,” Ed answered.

“But you can't do alchemy anymore!” Al protested. “There's no reason to stay!”

Ed flinched slightly, but quickly squared his shoulders. “Neither can Havoc or Breda or Hawkeye,” he pointed out. “I can still be of use and with all the upheaval from the Promised Day, Mustang needs people he can trust.”

“Is he forcing you to stay?” Winry demanded, clutching the knife in her hand tightly.

“He doesn't know I'm going to,” Ed corrected. “In fact, he's probably got my discharge papers waiting.”

“Then why are we going back?” begged Al. “We did our part! We stopped the country from being destroyed! You and I have both earned a rest!”

“We aren't going back,” Ed said firmly. “_**I**_ am.”

Al's head jerked as if he had been slapped. “What?”

Ed sighed and walked over to place his hands on Al's shoulders. “You've got your body back. And I'm thrilled. I'm fucking ecstatic that you're alive and you've found your soulmate and you can begin a life together. But I don't have that. I won't be happy here. And in Central I can do some good.”

“Okay, so you don't have that yet,” Al argued, “but that's no reason to just give up! Your soulmate is out there, somewhere! You just have to keep looking for...”

“Your shirt is green,” Ed interrupted. “Winry's headband is red. The flowers by the porch are pink.” Ed watched as Al's jaw dropped in shock. “My soulmate died on the Promised Day,” he said with only a faint hitch in his voice. “We met shortly before they were killed.” He wasn't about to go into more detail than that. Al didn't need to know those were two separate events.

Al stared at him like he was speaking Cretian. “Why… why didn't you tell me?” he demanded. “It's been months, Brother!”

Ed shook his head and looked away. “Please don't ask me about them. I… I can't talk about it. Not when it's still hurts like this.” He hated that a couple of tears spilled down Winry's cheeks. He hated seeing anyone pity him. “I need something to do,” he forced himself to continue. “I need something to focus on to keep me going. I love you and Winry, but I need to be somewhere that isn't here, right now.”

“We've never really been apart for long,” Al argued weakly. "Not unless we were forced to."

Ed sighed and shook his head. “I can't be around brand new soulmates, Al. Not right now. It… it hurts, Al. It's hurts so damn much to see you two happy and not have that myself. To know I'll never have that. Please understand, Al, I need this.”

Al flinched and closed his eyes. Winry sobbed and ran from the room. After a moment, Al stepped around Ed and chased after her. Ed covered his eyes with one hand, silently berating himself for hurting them.

“Go,” Granny said, catching his attention.

Ed looked up and met her understanding gaze. He relaxed a tiny bit when she walked over and patted his arm. 

“Go on, son. It'll be okay. They'll be okay,” she promised. 

Ed nodded and picked up his bag. He gave her a one armed hug before turning and walking out of the house. He didn't pause as he began walking toward town.


	4. Settling In

Unlike his guests, Roy barely even twitched as his door was suddenly kicked open and a familiar blonde strolled in as if he owned the place. General Halcrow sent Ed a sharp glare while General Fritz sniffed imperiously. Ed, for his part, ignored both. Roy hid his amusement behind a cough.

“Major Elric, I was expecting you later this week,” he said calmly. He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out the folder containing Ed's discharge papers. He was going to miss the young man more than he was willing to admit. 

Ed snorted, hands in his pockets as he walked over to perch on the corner of Roy's desk. “Whatever, bastard,” he said with a hint of fondness. 

Halcrow's eyes bugged out and Fritz actually flinched at the curse. Roy knew he shouldn't take so much enjoyment from their discomfort, but both men had been pains in his ass ever since his promotion. They didn't like him and they didn't like how popular Roy was as the commanding officer of the People's Alchemist. Rumor had it Halcrow was just waiting for Ed to give up his commission before making waves. Roy wasn't too worried. He was certain he could handle whatever the asshole threw at him.

“So, what kind of reassessment am I looking at since I can't do alchemy anymore?” Ed asked casually.

For a full ten seconds Roy was too stunned to speak. Luckily for him, Fritz and Halcrow were too busy staring at Ed in shock to notice his own surprise. Ed did, though, and simply smirked wider.

“You're not turning in your watch?” Halcrow demanded. “That's outrageous! You can't be a State Alchemist if you can't perform alchemy!”

Roy watched in amusement as Ed turned and extravagantly rolled his eyes at the general. “Keen observational skills,” he drawled.

“Ed,” Roy chastised gently, feeling obligated to rein in his subordinate. Even if he was proud of Ed.

Ed had the audacity to turn back and grin widely. “So, I can't do alchemy, but there's no one who knows more about it than me,” he pointed out without a shred of humility. “I'm not interested in research and there's no way I'll move to Investigations. Armstrong would drive me insane. Besides, I don't trust anyone but you and this team. Get me reevaluated and assigned here, okay?”

Before anyone could respond, Ed was crossing the room and slipping out the door. He then kicked it shut hard enough to rattle the door handle. 

After taking a brief moment to thank whatever gods he didn't actually belief in, Roy turned a winning smile to his compatriots. “Excuse the interruption, gentlemen. Now, where were we?”

* * *

There were only two things majorly wrong with staying in the military. One was all the saluting he was expected to do. Now that he had been promoted to Colonel, he was expected to give and receive salutes. He balanced that by scowling fiercely at every opportunity, no matter what kind of mood he was in. The second irritation was that, following her own promotion to Colonel (and the fact that the military was stretched kind of thin), Riza Hawkeye was given her own office and team. She took Breda and Falman with her, along with Denny Brosh and Maria Ross. Roy had made Ed his adjunct, since Ed adamantly refused his own team, and brought in a young Ishvalan named Kelo to join his team as a civilian translator.

Not being big on bullying, it was hard as hell getting Roy to do his all paperwork some days, so Ed had to get creative. He first tried nagging, but honestly, it always turned into banter that they both had too much fun with. Next he tried bribery with baked goods (a weakness of Roy's) or non-mess hall coffee. That soon got expensive. After five weeks, he got really creative.

The look of horror on Roy's face was priceless. Ed stared at him smugly as he waited for Roy to recover. He wished he had thought to ask someone to come with him and bring a camera. He'd love to have that look immortalized forever.

“Y-you… you… you...” Roy sputtered weakly.

Ed grinned so widely his cheeks hurt. “Every week you leave paperwork undone, without clearing it with me first, I'll take Vanessa out for dinner that Friday and ask her for embarrassing stories from your childhood,” Ed repeated. “And when she runs out of stories, Hannah, Chelsea and Julia had volunteered to tell me what they know.”

Roy narrowed his eyes and tugged on his gloves menacingly. “Maybe I'll call up Alphonse and Miss Rockbell and ask them stories about you!” he threatened.

Ed scoffed. “You've known me since I was eleven. You already know my embarrassing stories. Probably never should have told me about your aunt and foster sisters.”

“You are evil,” Roy grumbled indignantly. 

“But effective,” Ed grinned. “There is a benefit to this, just so you know.”

“Benefit?” Roy repeated suspiciously.

“Every Friday, if I don't have to take out your foster sister, I'll cook,” Ed offered.

Roy's eyes practically lit up. “Curry?”

“If you want.”

When Ed decided to stay in the military, he also decided the smart thing to do was find an actual apartment instead of continuing to live out of barracks or hotels. Riza had helped him find an affordable place in the building right across the street from Roy's. After moving in and getting settled, Ed had invited his friends over for a housewarming dinner. Ed was pretty sure the only one who wasn't surprised to find he could cook, was Gracia, since she had been the one to teach him and Alphonse a lot of what they knew. Since then Havoc had demanded they hold the monthly poker games at Ed's, in the endless hope for home cooked meals. 

He didn't mind, honestly. After so many years of constant travel, too many nights where he and Al hadn't had a roof over their heads, and the desperate yearning to put down roots, Ed was almost pathetically grateful to have a place to call home. He was also grateful to have people he got along well enough with to invite over.

“Deal,” Roy said, eyes a little glazed as he thought of the curry Ed had made for Breda's birthday. 

Ed grinned and pointed to the stack of folders on Roy's desk. “I'll bring you fresh coffee in an hour.” He gave a mocking salute and stepped back into the outer office. He was surprised to see Riza standing in the center of the room. “Hey,” he greeted. “He's not busy if you need to see him,” he said, indicating Roy's office with a nod.

“You're bribing him with food?” she asked, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

“Actually I'm blackmailing him,” Ed corrected, with an unrepentant smirk. “The food is a reward. Like conditioning a puppy.”

Riza gave a startled laugh and shook her head. “I wish I had thought of that. It would have saved me some bullets.”

Ed grinned wider. “Maybe, but then you wouldn't have had the fun of making him patch up the holes later.”

“I'm capable of conditioning,” Havoc pouted.

“I know,” Ed agreed, his smirk turning fearsome. “No smoking in the office and you can come to Sunday dinners. A single puff of smoke and you not only lose that, but you are banned from poker night that month.”

This time Riza was definitely smiling. Havoc's jaw dropped and he looked toward his ashtray forlornly. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking like a man headed to the gallows. “Deal,” he mumbled. His expression turned crafty. “I get smoke breaks, though, right?”

Ed gave him a considering look. “Outside. One every four hours.”

“Every two,” Havoc bartered as Riza shook her head in amusement and entered Roy's office to discuss new Ishval.

“Every three, not counting your lunch break,” Ed countered.

“Done!”


	5. Making Waves

Roy had always known Ed was powerful. He was the youngest State Alchemist for a reason. He had always known Ed was intelligent. He was literally a prodigy. It didn't take long after Ed took over running the office to realize Ed was also a goddamn evil mastermind. Riza had protected him and the rest of the team through gunpowder and lead (or the threat thereof). Ed used manipulation. Not only did he give Roy a compelling reason to get his work done (Vanessa knew way too much) but he also got Havoc to stop smoking in the office. Ed didn't just use his powers for evil, though.

Halcrow wanted to be a thorn in Roy's side. Roy said 'wanted' because so far, Halcrow had failed spectacularly. The general made insinuations about Roy's reputation as a playboy being an indication of how untrustworthy he was. Before Roy could even begin doing damage control, two of Halcrow's ex-mistresses were interviewed by a well-known reporter. They didn't leave out a single detail. His wife was not pleased, to say the least.

Technically, Havoc was considered disabled. He could walk, but he needed a cane half the time. He couldn't run an obstacle course or hike across terrain, though. Halcrow tried to have him discharged, but someone alerted a reporter at Central's biggest newspaper and the next couple of weeks were filled with stories about how the previous administration had made it a policy to callously discard soldiers once they had become injured. The reporter made insinuations about the military having no regard for the men and women who fought to protect it. 

It was a public relations nightmare. Fuhrer Grumman, himself, assured the populace that the new military took care of it's soldiers. It was the fastest the upper brass had ever moved to draw up and enact new reforms that Roy had ever seen. Havoc soon found himself the poster boy for the disabled servicemen. Rules and regulations were put in place to protect their jobs or to provide any soldier with a suitable position if they were physically unable to do their previous one. Those who chose not to stay in the military once disabled in some way, were giving a pension based off their record and time, and were allowed to keep their medical benefits.

Roy will never forget the smug look in Ed's eyes when the announcement first came. 

The newspapers for the next several weeks were filled with praise for Grumman, Roy, Brigadier General Grover and Major General Armstrong for their part in pushing the Havoc Act. The spotlight also did wonders for Havoc's love life. He had stopped complaining about his dismal luck with dating and started complaining that he didn't have enough days of the week for all his dates.

When Halcrow tried to put one of his civilian contractors in charge of reconstruction for New Ishval, Major Miles unexpectedly arrived in Central with several Ishvalan Holy Men who petitioned for Scar to fill the position. In the interest of public relations, Grumman agreed. Roy took note of how unsurprised both Ed and Kelo were by Miles' arrival. Ed even had hotel rooms already reserved for the party. 

Roy could only be grateful that Ed was on his side. 

* * *

Ed stared at the folder on his desk for a long moment before slowly exhaling and flipping it open. The rest of the team was gone for the night, so he was alone. He had deliberately waited until now to deal with this because he didn't trust himself not to reveal too much to knowing eyes. 

The paperwork had shown up four days ago, mixed in with a few reports from other departments, some foreign correspondence and a couple of 'love letters' from Roy's information web. Thankfully he had noticed the odd postmark before accidentally adding it to pile on Roy's desk. 

Taking a deep breath, Ed began reading over the letter from a lawyer in Dublith informing him that, as the soulmate to Mr. G. Reed, he had inherited both a bar and a house now that 'Mr. Reed' had been officially declared dead. Apparently there was someone who had made inquiries into purchasing the bar, and taxes were due soon on both. The lawyer needed to know what Ed wanted to do with the properties. 

Ed dragged a hand down his face and closed the file. What did he want to do? He wanted to move into the house, bond with his soulmate and spend the rest of his pitiful life watching Greed annoy the chimeras he had taken in. He wanted warm nights, wrapped in Greed's arms. He wanted comfort and safety and love. 

Instead he had an empty townhouse, a crumbling bar and a cold, lonely bed. 

Ed shoved his chair back and grabbed his jacket. He needed some fresh air.

* * *

Roy frowned as he watched the hands on the clock creep closer to 9. The work day had started 59 minutes ago. He could sense the worry from the rest of the team, as well. Ever since returning, Ed was so punctual, you could set your watch by him. (Roy suspected this new dedication was because Ed had a lot of sleepless nights. He remembered how much trouble he had sleeping for months after Maes died.) He was always the first one in the office so he could sort the mail, start a pot of coffee and double check the day's schedule. 

The clock chimed on the hour and Roy stood. He exited his office and moved to Ed's desk. The day's mail was piled on one corner and a stack of reports sat off to the side as if waiting to be read. In the center of the desk was a single folder. Curious, Roy flipped it open. He only read the first three sentences before quickly closing it and picking it up.

“Havoc, sort the mail and let me know if there is anything urgent,” he ordered. “Fuery, send word to Colonel Hensley that I need to reschedule our meeting. Ed is taking a personal day but that doesn't mean we don't still have work to do.”

Roy went back into his office and closed the door. He set the file on his desk and opened it again. Maybe it was a serious breach of privacy, but Ed wasn't just his subordinate, he was a friend. Once he had read all the paperwork inside, he placed the file in his desk and locked the drawer. At some point between his two deaths, Greed had written up a will, leaving everything he possessed to Ed. Now his lawyer was insisting that Ed collect his inheritance and make some decisions. 

Roy picked up his phone and dialed Ed's home but got no answer. He briefly considered contacting Alphonse, but he knew Ed still hadn't told his younger brother anything about his soulmate. So where was Ed? Where would he go? After several minutes, a possibility occurred to him. 

Roy stood and walked back out to the outer office. “I have an errand to run. I'll be back soon.”

Kelo and Fuery nodded, still looking a bit worried. Havoc opened his mouth, paused and then sighed. “Okay, chief.”

Roy kept a steady pace as he left Central Command, even though every instinct was screaming at him to run. It was during one of their late night calls, before Ed had returned to Central, that he told Roy about the night he and Greed tried to forge their bond. They had still been on the run, but hiding inside the city. It was the first night they were alone, without the chimeras. Ling had faded, letting Greed take over. They quickly realized Ling's physical body kept him and Greed from bonding. The sorrow in Ed's voice had been heart-wrenching to hear. 

Roy found the old shack, hidden away near an old orchard, just as Ed had described. He carefully pushed open the door, relieved to find Ed asleep on a pallet of old blankets. There were dried tear tracks on his face and dark shadows under his eyes. Roy sighed softly and carefully shook Ed's shoulder. 

“..w'ah…?”

“It's me,” Roy said gently. Ed blinked up at him a few times before freezing. Shame and grief warred within his golden eyes before he closed them and turned his head. Roy kept his own expression calm as he stood back up and held out a hand. “Come on, Ed. Let's get you home.”

After a few seconds Ed reached out and let Roy pull him to his feet. It was a silent walk back to town. When they got to Ed's apartment, Roy hung back at the doorway.

“I moved the folder to my desk,” he said, careful to keep his tone even but soft. “Do you know what you're going to do?”

Ed sighed, not looking back from his place just inside the door. “I'm going to sell,” he mumbled. “There's nothing for me there.”

Roy flinched slightly as Ed shut the door. He pressed a palm to the wood for a brief moment before turning and heading back to command.


	6. Interludes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a few small scenes to show time passing and Roy and Ed growing more comfortable and closer.

Roy smiled as his door opened and Riza walked in. “Colonel,” he greeted. “What brings you by?”

Riza gave him a salute and waited for him to smile and return it before handing him the folders in her hand. “These are the personnel files for the officers Major Miles and I recommend be stationed in New Ishval.”

Roy took them and flipped through the stack, pausing when he came to the last few. He looked up in surprise and she blushed slightly. “You want reassigned?”

Riza nodded and looked at him softly. “Did you know Major Miles has a pet? When they were here last month, I ran into him at the park while I was walking Black Hayate.”

Roy shook his head, uncertain where this was going. “I confess, there hasn't been much need for me to have that information.”

Riza's lips tilted upward in a little smile. “A dog, not much older than Black Hayate. Only his is a beautiful husky with the brightest blue eyes.”

Roy gasped and jumped to his feet, hurried around the desk and swept her up in a tight hug. Riza laughed softly, hugging him back just as tightly. “I'm so happy for you,” he whispered in her ear.

“I am, too,” she admitted. After a few seconds she pulled away a few inches so they were looking at one another. Her smile faded and regret filled her eyes. “I am also sorry.”

“For what?” Roy asked, confused. “This is a wonderful thing.”

Riza's hands tightened on his shoulders slightly. “I… I know, sir.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I know you can see colors.”

Roy tensed and would have pulled away but she didn't release him. “Riza...”

“I never said anything because I also know who,” she continued. “I realized it when you went after Envy. I wish I could make things easier for you, Roy. You are my best friend and I would do anything to see you happy.”

Roy relaxed and tugged her close again. “I am,” he promised. “And I'm happy for you. He's a good man, Riza.”

They held one another for a bit longer before separating. Roy immediately sat back down and quickly signed off on transferring her and her team to New Ishval. “I do believe this calls for a celebration,” he declared. “The Hangman? First round is on me.”

Riza rolled her eyes fondly. “Fine. Seven tonight?”

“I'll be there,” Roy promised. He wasn't surprised to see Ed slip into the office a few minutes later with a fresh cup of coffee and a lemon pastry. Ed knew him too well, sometimes.

“Thought you could use a pick-me-up,” Ed said gently.

Roy sighed and took the pastry. “We're having drinks this evening,” he said. “You should join us. I have a feeling she'll be leaving as fast as she could arrange it.”

Ed tilted his head as he watched Roy. “You okay?” he asked seriously.

Roy slowly nodded. If it had been anyone else asking, he would have blown them off, but he knew his adjunct wasn't asking out of pity, but out of concern. “I am. I'll hate to have her so far away. We've always been very close. There was a time I wondered if maybe we couldn't be more. Despite her hard shell, Riza is a romantic inside. She's always wanted her soulmate.”

Ed nodded and knocked his knuckles on the top of the desk lightly. “I'm heading down to the records room to find those reports on Bilington. When I come back, those funding requests need to be signed.”

“Slave driver,” Roy smirked as Ed headed for the door.

“Bastard,” he called back over his shoulder.

Roy chuckled and pulled the first folder toward him.

* * *

Roy began a careful sweep of the room searching for Ed. The younger man had left to grab another round for everyone and had been gone several minutes when a waitress showed up with a tray. She handed each of them a beer before placing the last one on the table. 

“A blonde guy asked me to deliver these, since he's been pulled over to the pool tables,” she explained.

Roy thanked her before turning toward the area where the pool tables were. He immediately spotted Ed standing in front of a vaguely familiar lady wearing tight jeans and a low-cut top. He tried to place the woman but no name was forthcoming.

“Uh oh,” Breda chuckled, also looking toward Ed. “Looks like Sharon is making a move, again.”

“Sharon?” Roy asked.

Havoc snickered around the lip of his beer. “The boss' neighbor. You remember, she came by during poker night last week to invite Ed over to her place for coffee.”

Roy remembered now. She had been a bit too obvious in her disappointment that Ed was busy. Roy had forgotten about the woman since Ed had shown no interest in her. Well, he hadn't then, that is. At the moment, Ed was smiling warmly and either didn't notice that Sharon had her hand on Ed's arm, or didn't object. Roy quickly turned back around, uncomfortable with the unexpected tendrils of jealousy that unfurling within him. 

Where had that come from? That wasn't something he should be feeling! He and Ed were friends, but not that kind of friends! Sure, they had grown very close since Ed's return to Central but still, they were just friends. 

Roy blinked a few times as he replayed that thought. Of course! It was jealousy, but not of a romantic kind. Ed knew about Maes and he knew about Greed. It made sense that he would be reluctant to share the one person who understood him so well. Perfectly reasonable. No cause to be worried. Right? Right. 

“Do you think they could be soulmates?” Havoc asked.

“Nah,” Breda said confidently. “She keeps touching him but Ed isn’t reacting.”

“I’m not sure I could handle it if the Boss found his soulmate before I find mine,” Havoc whined. “Everyone but the Chief, Ed and Kain have theirs!”

Roy picked up his drink and downed half of it. Havoc had no idea and he’d like to keep it that way. He shuddered to think of the questions and comments that would bring.

* * *

Ed picked up his drink and headed through the crowd and out onto the balcony to get some fresh air. He hated these fancy parties. Having to be polite to idiots and their spouses was a true test of his patience. (Not something he was known for, either.) 

Turning to lean back against the railing around the balcony, Ed's eyes were drawn to the couples dancing. It wasn't hard to spot the recently promoted and newly bonded Lt. Colonel Armstrong and his soulmate. She was a beautiful brunette wearing an emerald green ball gown. Alex was his usual sparkling self in full dress regalia. There was a gleam in his eyes that told Ed he was having a good time. That made Ed smile a bit wistfully. Part of him was happy his friend was enjoying himself. There was a smaller part, though, that was… not angry, but jealous, in a way. Ed wanted that. He wanted someone he could spend time with. Someone to laugh with and smile at and possibly love. 

“Lost?”

Ed smirked and turned as Roy stepped through the balcony doors and joined him. “In a place this big? Entirely possible,” he joked.

Roy smirked back at him. “They send Major General Armstrong after the ones who stray from the party,” he warned teasingly.

Ed grimaced at the thought of Olivier Armstrong chasing him back to the ballroom with saber in hand. “I'll keep that in mind.”

They watched the dancing for a minute before Roy moved closer and mimicked Ed's position. “So, who is your date?” Roy asked casually.

Ed snorted. “No date. I'm stag. I didn't think I would see you here.”

“To be honest, I wasn't sure I wanted to come,” Roy admitted. “It was actually a party much like this one that Maes first introduced me to Gracia.”

Ed understood what Roy was saying. Like him, Roy probably found it a bit difficult to be around newly bonded soulmates, but to be at a party that so closely resembled the way he discovered his own mismatch? Don’t get him wrong. They were both happy for Armstrong. They understood the desire to throw a celebration. That didn’t make it any less difficult. Just then they heard Alex making a booming announcement that there would be a photographer coming around to take photos of other mated couples for anyone interested.

They were both silent for several minutes before Roy exhaled heavily and pushed away from the railing. “I think I need another drink.”

Ed tossed back the last of his own champagne and nodded. “I think we both do.”

“Let's go get stupid,” Roy grinned, even though his eyes were looking a bit haunted. 

“My specialty,” Ed agreed. He didn't intend to get drunk tonight (after all, he would probably be the one having to drag Roy home) but he wasn't about to abandon Roy when he was so obviously hurting. Together they wound their way through the throng of guests until they reached the open bar.


	7. Friendship

It was Friday and he had been looking forward to dinner all week. After work, they had shared a car ride to their street and parted ways on the sidewalk with an agreement that Roy was expected for dinner in one hour. Roy had showered and changed, even taking the time to search his private library for his copy of a book Ed had mentioned needing to read. When he knocked on Ed's door at the expected time, it was Sharon who opened it up and gave Roy an unhappy look.

“May I help you?” she asked stiffly.

Roy frowned at the young woman. “No,” he answered. “Ed is expecting me.”

She looked him up and down in a judging sort of way. “Aren't you a little old for Ed?”

Roy bit the inside of his cheek to keep his temper in check. “I didn't realize there was an age restriction on friendship,” he said stiffly.

“Roy?” Both of them turned as Ed stepped into view, drying his hands on a small towel. “Why are you just standing in the hallway?”

Roy smirked as he stepped forward, forcing Sharon to either step aside or get bumped. “Something smells great,” he said instead of answering. “Oh, and I brought my copy of The Changing Tides.”

Ed smiled widely as he took Roy's coat and hung it up. “Thanks! That will save me a lot of time. I should have that translation for you by Monday if I'm right about this book being the code's key.”

“You work together?” Sharon asked, still frowning at Roy.

“Sharon, this is Brigadier General Roy Mustang,” Ed introduced. “Roy, this is Sharon. She lives next door.”

“Charmed,” Roy drawled.

“Likewise,” she said dryly.

Ed seemed oblivious to the tension as he took the book to his desk. “Dinner's about ready, Roy.”

“You invited him to dinner?” Sharon asked. Roy thought she sounded annoyingly whiny but Ed simply nodded. “I thought we might spend some time together, Ed. Alone.”

Much to Roy's amusement, Ed seemed to be fighting the urge to roll his eyes. It was a look he often had when he thought Roy was sending him and Al out on useless missions. “I told you I had plans tonight.”

She moved closer to Ed, a pout in place. “I'm sure your boss wouldn't mind if you wanted to spend time with a friend.”

Ed's expression darkened a bit. “Roy, would you mind setting the table?” 

Roy shook his head and headed into the kitchen. He knew the polite thing to do would be to ignore whatever conversation was about to take place, but he wasn't interested in being polite, so he began getting down dishes while listening closely. 

“I am spending time with a friend,” Ed said firmly. “I'm happy to be your friend, as well, but do not think for one minute you have any say over who I spend my time with.”

“Ed, I'm just trying to help,” she said, her tone still a bit whiny. “No one likes their boss hanging around.”

“I do,” Ed corrected. “I've known Roy more than five years. He's had my back every step of the way. He's not just my boss, he's my friend. Possibly my best friend. None of this is any of your concern, anyway.”

“Ed, you know I have feelings for you...”

“But I don't have feelings for you,” Ed interrupted so softly Roy almost didn't hear him. 

“If you just let me in...”

“I think you should leave now,” Ed said. “This is the fifth time we've had this conversation and I'm tired of going in circles. You're a nice neighbor, Sharon, but I'm not the right guy for you.”

“You don't know that.”

“I do. I know I'm not because you aren't the right girl for me.”

“Then who is?” she demanded. “Your boss?”

“Goodbye, Sharon,” Ed said calmly. 

Roy heard the door open and the angry click of heels heading away before the door closed again. He heard Ed sigh softly before his footsteps approached the kitchen. Roy opened the fridge and pulled out a couple of beers before looking up.

“Please tell me there's naan bread, too,” he said, keeping his expression placid.

Ed gave him a brief look of gratitude for not mentioning what he had heard before nodding. “Of course there is.”

* * *

Ed set his valise on the floor beside the bed and flopped back onto the mattress. “I think I'm getting too old for these long train rides,” he grumbled.

Alphonse snickered as he sat down beside his brother and patted his knee. “Poor Brother. Only eighteen and already over the hill.”

Ed opened his eyes enough to shoot Alphonse a glare. “You must have me mistaken for Roy. If anyone's ancient, it's him.”

Alphonse looked at Ed curiously. “Roy?” he repeated, sounding wary. “What happened to 'bastard' or 'that jerk'?”

Ed shrugged his flesh shoulder. “We work together. We see each other every day. We’re friends, now.”

The younger Elric shifted so he was facing his brother. “Brother, what exactly is going on between you and the General?”

Ed blinked up at his brother for a few seconds. “Uh, what?”

Alphonse watched Ed closely, trying to read him. “Well, you stayed in the military, even though you can't do alchemy anymore. You even let him promote you. You said you spend time together outside of work. Are you… is he your soulmate?”

Ed's mouth hung open for a long moment before he managed to work past his surprise. “We are not together!” he said firmly. “Fucking hell, Al! Where did you get that idea from?”

Alphonse sighed and looked away. “It's just… it doesn't make sense,” he scowled. “I thought… It's been over a year, almost two now, since you went back to Central. You said you needed some space while Winry and I got settled. Only… only you didn't come back. You stayed gone, even though there's no reason to. You're only here now because we're getting married. You said your soulmate died but you never talk about them and you never answer any of my questions and now you’re always talking about the general.”

Ed sat up and shifted so he was facing Alphonse. “Because that's my home now,” he said quietly. “It's where I live and work. No, Al, Roy is not my soulmate. I don’t answer questions because I don’t like talking about it.”

“But you could live and work here in Rush Valley, with me and Winry. We miss you,” Alphonse insisted. “And there’s nothing holding you there, not really.”

Ed took a moment to run his hand over his face and sighed softly. “Al, I love you,” he said gently, reaching out to grip his brother's shoulders. “And I'm so fucking glad you and Winry are happy. You've made quite the name for yourselves out here. But you have to understand, I've done the same thing, only in Central. What I'm doing, supporting Roy and working with the team, it's important. Not just to them, but to me, too. And yes, Roy and I are close. We're friends now. I like my life, Al. It makes me happy.”

Alphonse sniffled and leaned forward until his forehead was resting on Ed's shoulder. “I miss you,” he admitted. “So does Winry and Granny.”

“And I miss you guys,” Ed insisted. “But we both have our own lives now. You and Winry don't need me living in your pockets and I actually do enjoy my job. I like my home and my friends and my routine. I'm… well, I'm settled, now. It's nice, not always on the road, sleeping in dingy hotels or in a field. I like having my own bed and poker nights and cooking for Roy, Jean and Kain. I even have a pet, now.”

Al's jaw dropped. “You got a cat?” he squealed. 

Ed snorted. “No, Al. Cats are your obsession. I have a pup. Or rather, I will. Hawkeye and Miles have a litter of pups and they said I could have one. I'm going to pick her up when I leave here. She's seven weeks old.”

Al wrapped his arms around Ed tightly. “That's great!” he exclaimed. “What are you going to name her? What does she look like? Is she playful or calm? We should match her name to her personality!”

Ed laughed and pushed on Al's shoulders to separate them a bit. “One, her name is Leeloo. I didn't pick it. The daughter of Riza's secretary named all the pups. She's mostly white but her left back paw is black.”

Al's eyes got impossibly wide and he covered his mouth with one hand. “She matches you!” he exclaimed with delight. 

Ed huffed and nodded. “That's what Breda said. You're both dorks.”

Al grinned and laid his head on Ed's shoulder again. “Are you really happy, Brother?”

Ed slung an arm around Al's waist and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Okay,” Al mumbled. “But you can always move here if you want.”

Ed chuckled softly. “Don't hold your breath, but I'll keep that in mind.”


	8. Date Night

Roy chanced a glance at Ed as he sorted through phone messages and considered whether he was doing the smart thing or not. It wasn't like it was a new urge. In fact, he had been nursing this idea ever since the night Ed had sent his neighbor away. When Ed took two weeks off to go visit his brother, Roy realized just how big a space in his life Ed took up. He had missed their almost nightly interactions more than he was comfortable admitting. The problem was, he was a coward. He was risking something very important, very precious to him. 

Over time, he and Ed had become incredibly close. In some ways (in many ways) this was the closest friendship he had ever had. With Maes, there had always been his secret between them. He had forced himself to maintain a wall, thin as it was, between them. It was self-preservation. He had needed that boundary to keep his heart intact. The bond between him and Riza was born of trust and mutual need. She had needed someone to believe in and he had needed someone to hold him accountable. When she put her faith in him, he had forced himself to honor that faith. They were close, but the past horrors they both still relived at times would always be a stumbling block for them.

With Ed…

With Ed, there were practically no boundaries. They worked together. They often had dinner together. They got together on the weekends outside of work. Havoc had teased Ed about them practically living in each other's pockets. Roy was starting to wish that was true. The thought of sharing a home, a bed, a life, with Ed was… incredibly appealing. There was no denying that Ed was very attractive. He was intelligent and fun. He could still be a brat, at times, and they still clashed over the most inane things, but over time, they had found that they fit very well together. 

“Ed, close the door,” Roy said before his adjunct could leave the office. 

Curious, Ed did as he was asked before coming over to the desk. “What's up?”

Roy stood and walked around his desk to stand in front of Ed. “I want you to know that this has no bearing on our professional lives. You shouldn't feel pressured to say yes just because you work for me. I don't want to make things uncomfortable. That is the last thing I want. We've become close friends over the past couple of years. I have given this a lot of thought and I think we could successfully take our relationship further. Would you have dinner with me this Friday?”

Ed frowned, looking confused. “If you finish your paperwork, we'll definitely have dinner.”

Roy shook his head. “No, I am asking you on a date. A romantic dinner, Ed.”

Ed's eyes widened briefly before becoming shy and soft. “Roy...”

“I care about you, Ed,” Roy said gently. “As something more than a friend. I'm attracted to you. I would not risk losing our friendship over something trivial.”

Ed stared at him for a long moment before slowly nodding. “I think I would enjoy going out with you,” he admitted.

“I'll make reservations for 8, then,” Roy smiled, relieved.

Ed smiled back before raising one eyebrow and looking at the desk and it's stack of folders. “As long as I'm not busy taking Vanessa out, that is.”

Roy groaned and moved back to his chair. “Brat,” he growled.

“Bastard,” Ed laughed as he left the office.

Roy waited until the door was closed before leaning back in his seat and grinning like a madman. So far, so good.

* * *

Roy fussed with his hair as he mentally reviewed his plans. He had almost made reservations at an upscale restaurant before realizing that sort of thing just wasn't Ed's style. He loved food as much as (sometimes more than) the next man, but he wasn't a suit-and-tie kind of guy. With that in mind, he booked them a table at a nice steak place nearby. Afterward, he hoped they could talk comfortably as they took a longer walk home through the park. If this was some random person he was taking out, he would suggest a nightcap at his place, but this was Ed. He wasn't going to assume anything, or push for something Ed might not be comfortable with.

Satisfied he looked dashing, Roy slipped on a dark jacket to match his slacks and made sure he had his gloves, wallet and keys. The restaurant was only a couple of blocks away, so they wouldn't need a car. He hurried across the street and up the stairs to Ed's place. He knocked twice and waited.

Now, Roy had seen Ed in all sorts of attire. Leather pants that fit like a second skin. The Amestrian military uniform that made him look older. Comfortable sweats when he was at home. Dark trousers and a button up shirt when they went out to a bar. Roy's mouth actually watered as he took in the tailored gray slacks, light gray two-button vest and black dress shirt. Ed's hair was loose around his shoulders, like a waterfall of gold. 

“Wow,” Ed murmured, his cheeks a little flushed as he looked Roy over. “You, um, you look great.”

Roy swallowed and nodded. “You look edible.” His eyes widened when he heard what he had said. “I mean, enticing!”

A smirk spread across Ed's face. “Edible, huh?”

Roy bit back a groan, giving Ed a knowing look. “Do you really want to play the 'embarrassing things you said' game? If so I would like to remind you of what you said to Colonel Hensley on Tuesday.”

Ed grimaced and dragged a hand down his face. “His toupee looks like a rabid chipmunk! How is it I'm the only one who notices?”

A nudge at his ankle had Roy kneeling and giving Leeloo a gentle scratch behind the ears. “Hello, darling,” he cooed, because he knew it would make Ed roll his eyes. “Has the bad man being feeding you enough or do I need to rescue you from him?”

Ed snorted and bent at the waist to grab his dog. He walked across the room and placed her in the large cage he used whenever he had to leave her alone for more than a couple of hours. She had a bad habit of chewing up his books or shoes if she was left unsupervised. “Ignore the bastard,” he demanded. “He's too lazy to feed himself on a regular basis, much less you.”

Roy couldn't even dim the smile on his face as Ed turned back to him looking a bit shy but eager. “I booked us a table at the Ranch House. Ready?”

Ed's eyes lit up eagerly. “I hope you brought plenty of cash. They have a steak almost as big as your ego that I've been dying to try.”

Roy held out an elbow. “I know your appetite, Ed. I'm prepared.”

Ed blushed as he linked his arm with Roy's. “I hope so,” he purred, his tone implying he wasn't talking about just the food. 

* * *

Ed unlocked his door and walked over to let Leeloo out of her cage while Roy hung up his jacket. The pup immediately went tearing through the house as if making sure nothing was missing or moved before trotting back out and planting herself by the couch. Ed chuckled as Roy bent to scratch her under the chin.

“Coffee?” he asked calmly.

Roy swallowed hard and nodded. “Coffee would be nice.” They headed into the kitchen and Roy took a seat while Ed measured out grounds and filled the coffee maker. “So, tonight was nice,” he ventured carefully.

Ed looked over his shoulder and smiled. “Just nice?”

Roy relaxed and smiled back, seeing the warm expression in Ed’s eyes. “Very nice?”

The younger man laughed and walked over to sit across from Roy. “I enjoyed it too,” he admitted. “I have to ask, though, are you sure this won’t cause problems for you?”

Roy shook his head. “You and I are both at a high enough rank that the brass won’t be concerned. You’ve proven, time after time, that I have very little power over you so no one is going to think I’m coercing you. And you know as well as I do that the military is far more lenient about same-sex relationships than even the public is.”

Ed snorted and nodded his head. “Yeah, that whole ‘lovers-in-arms’ mentality where, if you’re fucking your fellow soldier, you’re less likely to abandon the military for a wife and kid.”

“Exactly.”

Ed tilted his head as he stared at Roy. “Did you ever have a lover like that?” he asked. 

“One or two,” Roy admitted. “Nothing serious, just comfort on a cold night. Why?”

Ed blushed and looked down at his hands. “I guess I’m just curious…”

Roy reached out and placed a hand over Ed’s. “That’s not what this is,” he said gently. “I don’t want some casual, meaningless sex, Ed. I honestly think you and I could be happy together.”

Ed looked up, his eyes bright with hope. “Even though we’ll never have a real bond?”

“We have been building our own kind of bond,” Roy pointed out. “One I hope will keep getting stronger as we go. Is that what you want, too?”

Ed’s answering smile was as bright as the sun. “That’s exactly what I want.”

Roy relaxed as Ed got up to pour them both coffee. So far, so good.


	9. Sex and Sister-in-laws

Roy had trouble imagining that anything could be more intense than this. A drop of sweat landed on his lips and he eagerly licked them, chasing the salty taste. Above him, Ed was a vision of pure sin. His head was thrown back, lips parted as his fingers pinched and pulled at his nipples. Roy gripped those slender hips tightly as Ed continued to ride him, his pace more leisurely than Roy thought him capable of. The slow drag of that tight channel up and down his cock was perfection. 

Truthfully, he had expected sex with Ed to be altogether different. He had anticipated quick, hard fucks after a fight for dominance. Instead, at the end of their sixth date, he was presented with a shy version of Ed who haltingly explained that he had never had sex, and he was relying on Roy to be patient and guide him. It seemed neither Greed nor Ed had been comfortable having sex with Ling's body since they couldn't bond. Greed didn’t want to share Ed with the prince and Ed didn’t desire Ling. (Roy was a tiny bit ashamed of how much pleasure that knowledge gave him.) 

Their first time was understandable awkward. Roy used every ounce of control he possessed to go slowly and explain everything they were doing and why, pausing to answer any questions or soothe any concerns Ed had. It was a lot of stop and go, but in the end, they were both sated and relaxed. Of course, this was Ed, and once he fully understood the basics of sex, he set out to learn everything he could with his customary tenacity. He asked Roy questions (which led to a lot of hands-on teaching), he read books (which garnered a bit of teasing from the female clerk at the bookstore) and he even made lists of things he liked, things he didn't and things he wanted to try. (That last one was hanging on the back of Roy's closet door, a couple of acts already checked off.) Roy had his own preferences, but this was his favorite. Slow, almost lazy, sex where the pleasure just kept building and building. 

Roy felt a subtle shift in Ed's hips, his back arching slightly more and his thighs beginning to tremble. Recognizing his own eminent release building, he planted his feet more firmly and gave deeper thrusts. One after the other, their orgasms spilled over leaving both men with a bone-deep exhaustion. Roy loved the breathless whisper of his name leaving Ed's lips as he shuddered through the aftershocks. Gently he drew Ed down to his chest, smearing the warm cum trapped between their stomachs, and gave his lover a languid kiss. Ed suffered through the stickiness for almost a full five minutes before squirming and pulling away. Roy might love being marked by his lover's fluids, but Ed hated it, only putting up with the mess for as long as he did because he knew it was one of Roy's kinks. Once Ed had cleaned them both off and laid back down, Roy wrapped his arms around him and smiled.

There was so much he adored about Ed. His sly wit, his strong morals, his brazen refusal to conform, his incredibly appealing body. Additionally, Ed was a cuddler. He was like an octopus, his limbs wrapping around Roy tightly as if afraid he would disappear if Ed didn't hold him in place. He suspected it had a lot to do with how many times Ed had been abandoned in his young life. Whatever the reason, Roy took complete advantage of it, allowing himself to feel comforted and protected. 

“Not looking forward to next week,” Ed mumbled sleepily.

Roy sighed softly and kissed Ed's temple. Neither was he, to be honest. Every five years there was a summit meeting with all the top brass and this time it was being held in South Command. It usually lasted two weeks, but with travel, Roy would be gone at least three. Roy was expected to attend, but Ed would need to stay in Central to keep the office running smoothly. Fuery was going to assist Roy, but this was the first time since beginning their relationship two months ago that they had been separated for longer than a couple of days. 

“At least you don't have to deal with Major General Armstrong,” he pointed out.

Ed snickered against his neck. “True. But Al and Winry are coming. I think they want to tell me she's pregnant.”

“Really?” Roy asked, curiously. “How do you know?”

“Little things,” Ed admitted. “Al insists they have big news but he can't tell me until they get here. Later, he asked if I remembered Mom's maiden name. Oh, and Winry mentioned something about getting advice from Gracia. I was also informed that it would be in my best interests to have a large supply of tissues and that mint tea Winry likes when her stomach is upset.”

“Hmm, that does seem to indicate a future niece or nephew,” Roy said.

“Or else Al's gotten so many cats he's run out of names while Winry's making another attempt to learn how to cook,” Ed yawned.

A cold nose nudged Roy's foot where it dangled off the edge of the bed, so he reached over the side with one hand and beckoned. As soon as a furry belly touched his palm, he swept Leeloo up and settled her by his hip. There was a bit of eager licking for his fingers before the mop of fur nestled in.

“Staying?” Ed mumbled.

Roy carefully drew the blanket up over all three of them. “You can kick me out after breakfast,” he joked. Ed snorted as he drifted off. He closed his own eyes and let the warmth drag him down. 

* * *

Roy woke to an empty bed and the smell of coffee and bacon. He stood up and stretched, joints popping and muscles aching before stepping out of the bedroom to go to the bathroom. He was just reaching for the door handle when it jerked open and he was confronted with a familiar but unexpected face. It was probably a toss-up as to which of them was more shocked.

“Oi, bastard! Pants, please!” Ed called out from the kitchen.

Roy jumped and literally dove back into the bedroom, kicking the door shut as he landed on his ass.

“Edward Elric! Why the hell is Mustang naked in your room?” demanded a shrill voice.

Roy dragged a hand down his flushed face and wondered how likely he was to survive the fall if he jumped out the window and raced home. A moment later there was a knock on the door and Ed poked his head in. His eyes were narrowed suspiciously. “Don't even think about escaping,” he ordered. “Get dressed and come say hello. After that, you can leave if you want, but don't you dare run away like you're ashamed of us.”

Roy felt a surge of guilt knowing he had been thinking of doing that very thing, not out of shame or guilt, but out of embarrassment. Having someone he barely knew (especially his lover’s little brother’s possibly pregnant wife who hated him) see him unshaven, messy and completely nude was disconcerting, to say the least. He stood and brushed himself off before stepping forward and kissing Ed briefly. “I'm going to take a shower, get dressed and then have breakfast,” he said firmly. “Then I'm going to go home and get ready for work just like I always do. I am not ashamed of us, Ed. You know that.”

Ed relaxed and pecked his lips back. “Good. Now hurry. Winry keeps trying to put minced onions in the pancake batter.”

“Definitely pregnant,” Roy murmured as he gathered his clothes and hurried to the bathroom.


	10. Arguments and Phone Calls

Roy held his head high as he walked into the kitchen. He gave Winry a smile and nod before accepting the cup of coffee Ed was holding out to him. There were two plates of pancakes and eggs on the table, one of which the young woman had made quite a bit of headway into, already. He sat down and reached under the table to give Leeloo a quick pat on the head. He picked up his fork, but remembering what Ed had warned him of, he carefully looked over the food. 

“Cinnamon and apples,” Ed promised, pouring more batter into the skillet. “I called Havoc and told him that Winry came early, so I wouldn’t be in today.”

Roy nodded, even though he disliked the idea of not seeing Ed in the office. While they worked hard to keep their work relationship separate from their private relationship, he relied on Ed a great deal to keep things running smoothly and to deal with the things Roy didn’t have time to do. Still, he couldn’t really begrudge Ed time with his sister-in-law. “Is Alphonse not here?” he asked.

“He’s took a side trip to see the Curtises,” Winry answered, her words a bit mangled by the food in her mouth, but her glare easily understood. “Good thing, too. If he had been the one to catch you in Ed’s bed…”

“It’s none of Al’s business who is in my bed,” Ed interrupted. “It’s none of yours, either.”

Winry snorted before gulping down half a glass of juice. “It is when you lie to us,” she griped.

Roy tensed and straightened his shoulders but Ed’s hand settled between his shoulders so he kept his mouth shut. “Not even then,” Ed corrected. “And for the record, I didn’t lie to you. When Al asked about our relationship, Roy and I weren’t together.”

“And how long have you been screwing your subordinate?” Winry asked, eyes narrowed as she stared at Roy.

“Mrs. Elric, I understand that this comes as a surprise to you,” Roy said carefully, “but bear in mind that Ed is an adult, as am I. What we choose to do, either together or apart, is not up for discussion.”

Winry stared at him for a long moment before leveling that look on Ed for an equal amount of time. Suddenly she smirked and began cutting into her pancakes again. “Fine. Al will tell me whatever I want to know once he gets through interrogating you both.”

Roy’s eyes narrowed but he kept his mouth shut. This was Ed’s family and his own past with the young woman was rocky, at best, considering she had never truly forgiven him for her parent’s death. 

“Winry, I love you,” Ed said sternly. “You’re my family. So, please understand that I’m saying this with all the love I feel for you. Stay out of my private life. I am not going to let you antagonize Roy. You will give him the respect he deserves.”

Winry’s fork clattered loudly as it hit the edge of the plate. Her eyes were wide with surprise and her mouth hung open for a moment. She quickly gathered her composure and crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine.”

Roy wasn’t fooled. She wasn’t going to give up so easily. Looking up at Ed, he knew his lover was suspicious, too. Deciding things were not going to get any more comfortable, Roy finished his breakfast and stood. 

“I better get home so I can change,” he said calmly.

Ed walked with him to the door, tugging Roy down for a chaste kiss. “I’ll drop off some lunch, okay?”

“Havoc will be green with envy,” he teased.

Ed snorted and brushed his fingers against Roy’s collar. “Sorry about this,” he murmured. “It’s not how I wanted them to find out.”

Roy sighed and pulled Ed into his arms. “Me, either,” he admitted. “Will I see you tonight?”

Ed nodded. “Come for dinner? I’m going to ask Gracia and Elicia over, too. That should keep things calm.”

“I’ll be here at 7,” Roy promised. He opened the door and headed down the hallway to the stairwell. He wondered what would be said after he was gone. He highly doubted Winry was going to just let this go.

* * *

Ed was able to finish his breakfast and get the dishes washed before Winry started in on him.

“I want to check your leg,” she said firmly as she dragged her toolbox into the living room.

“You just checked it three months ago,” Ed pointed out. “It’s fine, Win.”

“Still, I should check it,” she insisted.

Ed sat down in an armchair and studied her carefully. “Just get it out of your system,” he said bluntly.

Winry’s lips pressed into a tight line and she glared at him for a long moment before beginning to pace in front of the couch. “Him? Really, Ed? You hate him!”

“No, I’ve never hated Roy,” Ed corrected, patting his lap to urge Leeloo to jump up. “Sure he pissed me off when I was a kid, but I’ve always trusted him. Even when I thought he had killed Maria, I still couldn’t hate him.”

“He’s a womanizer,” she pointed out.

“We’re monogamous,” Ed countered.

“He’s a lot older than you.”

“I’ve never gotten along with people my own age.”

“He’s your commanding officer.”

“We keep work and personal separate.”

“He killed my parents!” she hissed.

“Yes, he did,” Ed acknowledged. “And he still has nightmares about it.”

“Good!”

Ed sighed and tried to keep himself from getting confrontational. All that would do is create more anger and more hard feelings (and possibly a wrench to his head). “I’m not asking you to like him. I’m not asking you to suddenly decide he’s some sort of saint. What I am asking, is for you to trust that I am happy and that Roy is a large part of that.”

“What about his soulmate?” she demanded. “What will you do when he finds her?”

Ed wasn’t about to spill Roy’s secrets. “I trust him, Winry. I know he trusts me. If there ever comes a time when he meets someone else, or that he just wants to end things, I know he’ll talk to me first. And that goes both ways. If I were to meet someone else, I would tell him.”

“You already found your soulmate and they died,” she argued.

Ed waited on the overwhelming grief to wash over him, but other than a painful stab in the middle of his chest, he was surprisingly okay. Huh. He hadn’t been expecting that. When had he begun to move past the grief? When had he stopped feeling as if he was hollowed out? Ed had a moment of perfect clarity. He shifted Leeloo to the side, stood and walked over to the phone. He dialed quickly and waited impatiently for Roy to answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey, bastard,” Ed greeted.

“Ed? Is something wrong? I just left.”

“I forgot to say something,” he replied.

“Oh? What was it?”

Ed took a deep breath and released it slowly. “I love you.”

He heard a sharp intake of breath over the line and several seconds of utter silence before Roy breathed out.

“I love you, too,” came the soft reply.

Ed felt a surge of joy rush through him. “Good. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Tonight,” Roy promised huskily.


	11. Confessions

Roy fell back against the wall by the phone and clamped a hand over his mouth. Shock warred with exhilaration within him. His heart was racing and his mind was absolutely blank.

_Ed just told me he loves me!_

_I told him I love him!_

Roy dropped his hand as a bubble of laughter filled his throat before pouring out of his mouth. He did! He loves Ed! How the hell did that happen without him knowing it? He knew he cared about Ed. He knew he was attracted to Ed. Hell, they had only been in a relationship for two months!

And yet…

This felt right. This felt true. It was something he never thought he would have. He had given up on a happily-ever-after when he realized he would never have a bond. He gave up on love when his soulmate became someone else’s husband. 

And now, after he had reconciled himself to being alone, he had found someone who saw him, saw all of him, and accepted every scar, every nightmare, every kink, every single part! 

Roy felt invincible. He felt like he was standing in the center of an inferno and instead of burning up, he was being purified. 

* * *

Ed hung up the phone slowly. He could feel the goofy smile that was stretching his mouth but he didn’t care. Roy loved him. They loved each other. 

“Ed?”

The hesitant tone of Winry’s address made Ed tense. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how upset she was after hearing him confess his love for the man who caused her parent’s deaths. He swallowed hard before turning to look at her.

“Yes?”

Winry was staring at him with wide eyes, her hands clutching a bandanna tightly. “You… love him?” she asked hesitantly.

Ed nodded. “I do.”

She bit her bottom lip briefly before glancing at the phone. “He loves you?” she asked.

Ed nodded again. “Yes.”

“But you’re not soulmates,” she argued weakly.

“No,” Ed agreed, “we aren’t. That doesn’t stop me from realizing he’s a good man. That he’s got a past he hates and is trying to make amends for. That doesn’t stop me from supporting him and caring about him and knowing that he’s someone worthy of my trust and respect.” 

“How can you love someone who isn’t your soulmate?” she asked, her eyes searching his, begging him to help her understand. 

Ed sighed as he crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. “I did love my soulmate, Winry. We only had a very short time together, but I loved him with my whole being. Roy knows this and he understands.” He pulled back so they were looking at one another again. “Most people only ever love their soulmates, and that’s fine. But not everyone meets their soulmates. Not everyone lives a long life with their soulmates.”

“Granny never loved anyone else.”

Ed very much doubted the truth of that. Even if it wasn’t a forever kind of love, he knew Granny had had a few loving relationships. He understood what Winry was saying, though. “Some don’t,” he agreed. “Some aren’t that lucky. But some of us are. I have a second chance to be happy.”

“But you won’t have a bond,” she sniffled. “Not like Al and I do.”

“I have a different kind of bond,” Ed explained. “One built on years of friendship and trust and support. Roy and I have worked hard to create the kind of bond we have. And it makes me so incredibly happy, Win. He makes me so incredibly happy.”

Winry sniffled as she shuffled closer and wrapped her arms around him again. Ed held her close, rocking gently from side-to-side for several minutes. He stayed quiet so she had all the time she needed to think about what they had both said. He hoped she could find a way to be okay with this. 

After several long minutes she gave an extra tight squeeze before releasing him. “I’ll never like him,” she warned. “And if he hurts you, I’ll kill him. But I want you to be happy. So,” she paused and took a deep breath, “if Mustang can do that, we’re okay.”

Ed reached up and cupped her cheeks before kissing her forehead. “Thank you.”

Winry gave him a watery smile. “Okay. Now sit your ass back down and let me look at my automail.”

* * *

Roy placed the bundle of roses on the base of the headstone and cleared his throat nervously. “Hey, Maes,” he said softly. “I, um, need to tell you some things. Maybe I should have said something when you were still alive, but to be honest, I was always too scared to. I always feared having you turn away from me, that you might hate me for it. See, I loved you,” he whispered. Roy closed his eyes as the grief washed over him. 

“I… I still do. You were... you are my soulmate. You gave me my colors and broke my heart all in one single moment. I knew you were bonded and I’d have had to be a blind idiot not to see how much you loved one another. But there were times when I hated you both. You were so happy and I was so miserable. I used to imagine you figuring out I was your soulmate, too and that you would realize you loved me, not her. 

Other times, I was so happy for you. I could see how perfect you were together and I understood that what you had was meant to be. It didn’t make me any less lonely, but it made it easier to keep going. You used to tease me about finding my own soulmate and how I would finally understand how wonderful settling down was. Well, I think I do, Maes.

You’re probably laughing your ass off, aren’t you? Me and Edward Elric? Surely that’s the universe screwing with us, right? But god, Maes! He makes me so happy. He cooks for me, can you believe it? And he’s matured and become so impossibly beautiful. Not just his looks, but his mind and his heart. 

I think it’s because his own soulmate is gone. It changes you. Without a soulmate, without a bond, you have to fight for every second of happiness. You have to figure out a reason to keep going. You struggle to find peace. I do it everyday. So does Ed. Somehow, we found each other.

And it’s so good. We fit so well. I don’t know what bonding feels like, but I can’t imagine it feels any better than what Ed and I have built together. We know the worst and the best of each other. Even when we fight, and believe me, you’ve missed out on some pretty vicious one we’ve had, we still know that when push comes to shove, we’ll work it out. We’ll have each other.”

Roy sighed and knelt down to place his hand on the headstone. “I’ll never stop loving you, just as I know Ed will never stop loving Greed. But we have each other, now. I’m moving on, Maes. I love him and he loves me. So, don’t worry about me, any more. I’m happy and I’ve found something worth living for.”

Roy stood back up and slowly walked away. He still felt sorrow for his lost soulmate. He still mourned the loss of his oldest and dearest friend. But he also felt hope and happiness. Ed was his future. He knew that no matter what happened, they would be together. They would make this work. Not because of destiny or fate, but because they worked for it. Because they had earned it. It was theirs and theirs alone.


	12. Epilogue

“So, how does it feel to be the First Lady?”

Ed rolled his eyes and elbowed his lover, the new democratically elected Fuhrer, in the thigh. “Havoc beat you to that joke. So did Winry.”

Roy pouted for a second before grinning slyly. “So, little Hohenheim…”

“Still can’t believe Al and Win named my nephew after that asshole,” Ed muttered.

“He’s your father,” Roy admonished gently, wrapping his arms around Ed’s waist and leaning them both back against the arm of the sofa. “He did help save the country.”

“One good deed doesn’t negate years of abandonment,” Ed argued even as he melted into the embrace.

Roy shook his head fondly. “Ed…”

Ed sighed and threw his hands in the air. “Fine. What about Heimie?”

“Al hates that nickname,” Roy reminded him.

“And I hate his full name,” Ed grumbled.

Roy rolled his eyes and kissed the back of Ed’s head. “Anyway,” he continued, “your brother asked if your nephew could stay with us for a few weeks this fall.”

Ed snickered softly. “With the new baby coming and them trying to get the house finished, things are going to be hectic. I told him it was okay with me if it was okay with you.”

“I still think it’s hilarious that your sister-in-law won’t let Al use alchemy to build their house,” Roy chuckled. 

“She spent too much time with Teacher. She's a big believer in doing things by hand before resorting to alchemy, now,” Ed grinned. He turned his head so he could look at Roy. “So, are you okay with having a kid under foot in a few months?”

“I doubt it would be any more inconvenient than having you under foot,” the older man teased. 

“If that’s a short joke,” Ed growled in warning.

Roy laughed and tilted his head so he could kiss Ed. “Never, my love.”

“So, as the newly elected Fuhrer...”

“President, my love,” Roy corrected, for possibly the thousandth time.

“Fuhrer, president,” Ed waved a hand in the air nonchalantly, “whatever. As the newly crowned, duly elected leader, what are you going to do now?”

Roy sighed softly and nuzzled Ed’s nape. “Well, now that the votes are in and the after party is over, I plan on taking my fiancee to bed and making him scream my name. Complete with title.”

Ed went stiff for a couple of seconds before sitting up and turning to look at Roy. The older man was smiling sheepishly, a small box sitting in his hand. Ed looked from Roy to the box then back to Roy. “W-what?” he stammered.

Roy reached up with his free hand and cupped Ed’s cheek. “Marry me?” he asked.

A shaky breath escaped Ed’s mouth and he slowly reached out to take the box. Opening it up he studied the gleaming gold band nestled inside. Along the top an infinity symbol had been engraved. 

Roy scooted closer and wrapped his arms around Ed’s waist. “We may not be soulmates, but we’ve always been destined for one another,” he said tenderly. “I love you so much, Ed. I know you love me just as much. Let’s spend the rest of our lives together.”

“God, you’re a sap,” Ed whispered, turning his head to hide his face in Roy’s shoulder. “Yes, you bastard! Of course I’ll marry you!”

Roy grinned and nudged Ed until he lifted his head for a kiss. Keeping their connection, they slowly drifted back until they were once again reclining on the sofa. There’d be time later, for more strenuous activity. For now, they both were content to bask in the love and happiness they had found with each other. It had taken them years to get here and they were damn sure going to enjoy it.


End file.
